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Six missions have operated on the Martian surface since 1997 — three simultaneously in 2022.
| Attribute | Curiosity (MSL) Mars Science Laboratory Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | Perseverance (Mars 2020) Mars 2020 Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | NASA/JPL | NASA/JPL | NASA/JPL |
| Status | Mission Complete | Active | Active |
| Vehicle type | rover | rover | rover |
| Launch date | 2003-07-07 | 2011-11-26 | 2020-07-30 |
| Landing date | 2004-01-25 | 2012-08-06 | 2021-02-18 |
| Landing site | Eagle Crater, Meridiani Planum | Bradbury Landing, Gale Crater | Octavia E. Butler Landing, Jezero Crater |
| Launch mass | 185 kgas of [1] | 899 kgas of [1] | 1,025 kgas of [1] |
| Power system | Solar panels + lithium-ion battery | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) |
| Instruments | 5 science instruments + RAT drill + Magnet arraysas of [1]Same instrument suite as Spirit: Pancam, Mini-TES, Mössbauer, APXS, MI | 10 science instrumentsas of [1]Mastcam, ChemCam, MAHLI, APXS, CheMin, SAM, DAN, REMS, RAD, MARDI | 7 primary science instruments + 19 cameras + 2 microphonesas of [1]Mastcam-Z, SuperCam, PIXL, SHERLOC, RIMFAX, MEDA, MOXIE; MOXIE completed Oct 2023 |
| Distance traveled | 45.16 kmas of [1]Mars distance record for a surface vehicle; final odometry at last contact ↑ Farthest | ~33 kmas of [1]Actively driving; figure grows with each drive | ~22 kmas of [1]Actively driving; cached 24 sample tubes for future Mars Sample Return |
| Mission outcome | Traversed 45.16 km across Meridiani Planum — a world distance record for surface vehicles. Found sedimentary evidence of standing liquid water at Eagle Crater. Reached Endeavour Crater rim in 2011, 9 km from landing site. Contact lost in a 2018 global dust storm after 14+ years of operations. | Confirmed ancient habitable environment at Gale Crater — lake sediments billions of years old with all ingredients for life. Discovered complex organic molecules and seasonal methane fluctuations. Still driving as of 2026, ascending the foothills of Mount Sharp. | First spacecraft to demonstrate oxygen production on Mars (MOXIE). Collected and cached 24 sample tubes for eventual Mars Sample Return. Documented diverse rock types in Jezero's ancient river delta. Deployed and supported Ingenuity through 72 flights. |
All 6 surface vehicles with primary-source citations from NASA JPL, NASA NSSDCA, and CNSA. Pure URL state — bookmark or share the link and the comparison reproduces exactly.